Franklin Graham Defends Palin on Arizona Shootings

I'm so glad that there are some Christian leaders speaking out against an epidemic of gross and reprehensible lies by the liberal left. Franklin Graham, son of Evangelist Billy Graham, recently spoke out against the outlandish lies against Sarah Palin, in the aftermath of the Arizona shooting.

Franklin Graham Defends Palin on Arizona Shootings

Tuesday, 11 Jan 2011 08:08 PM

By David A. Patten

Internationally respected evangelist Franklin Graham, the son of the great preacher Dr. Billy Graham, jumped into the political fray Tuesday by denouncing “outrageous” attempts by the political left to blame Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the Tucson rampage that left six dead and 14 wounded.

“This is a time for mourning and prayer for the victims and their families,” Graham reminded those who appear to be trying to exploit the shooting spree for political gain.

That Graham would come to Palin’s defense suggests the backlash to liberal attempts to lay the murderous rampage at the feet of conservatives may be expanding.

“I have been shocked at the reports from those suggesting that former Governor Sarah Palin has some level of responsibility for the horrific shooting in Arizona,” Graham said in the statement posted Tuesday on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) website.

“I got to know Governor Palin when she served as governor of Alaska,” stated the younger Graham, who serves as BGEA’s president and CEO.

“She was extremely helpful to Samaritan’s Purse in providing relief to remote villages throughout the state. Most recently, she and members of her family traveled with me to Haiti where we visited cholera clinics, temporary shelter communities, and participated in an Operation Christmas Child distribution.”
Samaritan’s Purse is the ministry organization Graham founded, which conducts various international relief operations.

Graham went on to praise Palin as “a kind and compassionate God-fearing woman who believes with all her heart that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Graham’s statement strongly suggested that he views political attacks based on the tragedy to be highly inappropriate.

“Whether you agree with her politics or not, it is outrageous to suggest that her political opinions encourage violence toward anyone,” Graham declared.
Prominent Democrats, including former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, and columnist Paul Krugman of The New York Times have been leading the charge to blame Palin and grass-roots conservatives for the massacre.

Several pundits associated with progressive politics, however, have denounced left-wing attempts to pin the cold-blooded murders on heated conservative rhetoric.

Those mainstream commentators include: Jonathan Chait of The New Republic, James Fallows of The Atlantic, Howard Kurtz of the Daily Beast, and Juan Williams of Fox News. They point out that there is no evidence the 22-year-old suspect was motivated by politics.

The Christian broadcasting group CBN reported Tuesday on a separate statement that Graham issued, urging Americans to be "measured and cautious before they place blame."

Speculation continues as the investigation continues into what touched off the shootings at a Tucson-area Safeway supermarket that critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The FBI has turned up evidence indicating the suspect have fixated on Giffords as early as 2007, long before the rise of Palin and the Tea Party movement to national prominence.

According to CBN, Graham warned in the second statement that rushing to blame anyone for the shooting before the full story is known might actually contribute to an atmosphere of angry intolerance.

"Hasty accusations have already been made before much information is known and an investigation has occurred,” he stated. “I believe this is counterproductive and could in itself incite hatred.

“This is not a time for political opportunism," he added. "Just because we disagree with someone from another political party does not mean we wish them harm."

CBN also reported that Graham is alarmed by the acceptance of “murder, violence, and rape as entertainment” in U.S. culture, as reflected in television, movies, and videogames.

Franklin Graham advised the nation to do “serious soul searching.” Otherwise, he warned, America "could see the destruction of the foundation upon which this nation was built if we are not careful."

Father and Rev. Billy Graham is now 92. By some accounts, he has preached to more people in person than anyone else in history.

Rev. Billy Graham’s staff says the evangelist has led over 2.5 million people worldwide to faith in Jesus Christ.


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WHY I SPEAK OUT!

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing, quote attributed to Edmund Burke.

I want to take this opportunity to explain why I’m so conscious of what’s going on in the nation.

When I speak about the things of the world, and how wrong things are, it’s a matter of waking up, what seems to be, a sleeping church, unconcerned as freedom and righteousness is slowly being taken away from them and evil is tolerated.

It’s not a matter of “loving this present world” – but like God, it’s a matter of loving the people -- "God so loved this world..."! This nation, more so than any other, was founded upon Godly principles. The United States has produced more missionaries for the world, contributed more dollars to charitable organizations than any other, and has been a beacon of light for the world for centuries.

But now, as I see America losing its way, when I see a generation that doesn’t know right from wrong, it’s not love for the world’s system that I voice my opinion, but love for the people. And like Wisdom from Proverbs cries out (I paraphrase), “How long will you tolerate evil and self-destruction?”

There is no guarantee that Jesus is coming within ten years. I wish He does, but He may not come for another hundred.

Yet, in the meantime, is it not incumbent upon us Christians to be the salt and light of the earth? If we see evil or danger approaching, is it not wise to sound the alarm?

In the 1960s, very few Christians spoke out against God being expelled from our schools. Yet, look at what our incriminating silence produced for the nation. You can see a direct correlation between expelling God from school to the national, cultural erosion that began at that time and continues to this day: in sexual promiscuity, intolerance of morals and Christianity, drug use, profanity, and just about every other evil. Today’s generation knows nothing about, and in fact mocks, the moralistic pre-60s culture.

So when Comedy Central wants to malign my Savior, you bet I’m going to say something! It has been our silence that has allowed so much of the evil we presently see.

When I see a government run amuck in debt spending, which my children will inherit and couldn’t possibly pay back, you bet I’m going to say something.

When I see a large part of the church vote for change rather than righteousness, you bet I’m going to sound the alarm – lest we repeat our mistakes in the next election.

When the news media, to support its anti-American mindset, calls certain voices for righteousness racist or homophobic – I'll be there to defend righteousness.

Presently we see an administration turning it’s back on the National Day of Prayer – so why aren't the pastors of this nation speaking out?

While we are ambassadors for a heavenly kingdom, we still live here. If evil reigns, we suffer under it. So let our lights and influence shine, lest we allow evil to be at the helm of this spiraling-downward nation. Let us not be relegated to the back of the bus any longer.

God gave us a voice, let’s use it without apology. If God’s people don’t speak out for righteousness, who will?